Fire extinguisher



Apri 4, 1950 c. BURGOYNE FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Feb. 18, 1949 IIIIIIIIIII IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE EXTINGUISHER Charles L. Burgoyne, Norwood, Ohio Application February 18, 1949, Seria-l No. 77,245

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a fire extinguisher including an extensible nozzle adapted to actuate the extinguisher release valve.

The primary object of the invention is to pro Vide a fire extinguisher having a cylinder charged with a re extinguishing agent under pressure Iwhich is releasable from one end oi the cylinder by means of a valve, and wherein the cylinder carries an extensible nozzle adapted upon extension thereof to open the valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hand type re extinguisher having a cylinder containing a uid lre extinguishing agent under pressure and also having a nozzle slidably mounted on the cylinder in surrounding relation thereto for directing the iire extinguishing agent onto the re, and wherein extending the nozzle elects opening of a valve adapted to release the fire extinguishing agent for iiow from the cylinder and through the nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fire extinguisher having a cylinder charged with a i'lre extinguishing agent under pressure and which is releasable from the cylinder only by extension of an extensible nozzle mounted in surrounding relation with respect to the cylinder, and wherein means are secured to the cylinder to releasably retain the nozzle in the non-extended position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact hand type re extinguisher in which a charged cylinder or container carries a slidable tubular nozzle adapted to be extended for directing the fire extinguishing agent onto the fire while maintaining a safe distance between the nre and the person holding the fire extinguisher.

Another object of the invention is to generally improve the convenience of operation and simplicity of construction of fluid charged, hand type lire extinguishers.

The above and other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a iire extinguisher embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation view of a re extinguisher embodying the principles of the present invention and illustrating a slightly modied construction.

For a description of the invention reference isA made to Fig. 1,y illustrating a hand type fire extinguisher having an elongated cylinder I closed at the upper end by a domed wall 2 and 55 at the lower end by a cap 3 welded or otherwise secured to the cylinder and providing an upwardly facing annular shoulder II. The cap or closure 3 is provided centrally thereof with a boss 5 which is centrally apertured and threaded to receive the upper threaded end portion of a valve 6. Between an upwardly facing shoulder and the lower end of boss 5 is a gasket 'l to prevent leakage of fluid at this point. The valve body has a straight-through iiuid passage 8 and midway thereof is rotatably mounted a plug S having a transverse passage Ill therein which is adapted to be aligned with the iiuid passage 8 upon rotation of the plug 9. Exteriorly ol the valve body the rotatable plug 9 is connected rigidly to a valve actuating arm il, having a ball-shaped enlargement II on the free end thereof. The lower end of the valve body carries a threaded nipple I 2 for use in making a secure connection with the valve when the cylinder I is to be charged 'with a re extinguishing agent, such as carbon dioxide. The release valve including a rotatable plug is only one possible type of on-and-oi valve that may be used. If the rotatable plug type of valve is carefully conm structed and assembled it is quite suitable for this purpose.

Slidably mounted o-ver the cylinder I is a sleeve or tube I3 havingA an inside diameter just slightly greater than the outside diameter of the cap member 3. The tube I3 when extended in the direction of the arrow A serves to first turn on the valve 6 and then to direct the re extinguishing agent onto the re. The tube may thus be termed a combined valve actuator and nozzle. When fully extended it enables a per son to apply the fire extinguishing agent directly to a small lire and still not require that the person stand too close to the lire. The upper end of the sleeve I3 is provided with a beadlike formation I 4 terminating in an annular liange I5 adapted to slidably t the outside of cylinder I. .lust below the bead formation I4 a ring I 6 is welded or brazed inside the sleeve I3. This ring not only serves to strengthen the thin walled sleeve I3 but also provides a definite stop means for the fully extended position of the sleeve as the lower edge of the ring cornes into abutment with the annular shoulder II ci the cap 3.

In order to retain the sleeve I3 in the retracted position, as shown, apair of spring latches or spring arms Il and I8 are provided and are securely attached to the cylinder I. The latches II and I8 are formed to t over and around the bead formation I4 and also include cam portions II' and I8' on the free ends to lift the latches into latching position as the sleeve I3 is forced up to engage the latches. The spring arms II and I8 are preferably formed at opposite ends of a metallic strip extending over the top of the cylinder I and wall 2, and secured thereto as by welding, brazing or soldering. Midway of its length the strip is formed with an upwardly extending loop or ring ,I9 for use in hanging the extinguisher on a hook or other supporting device.

In order to control the release valve 6, the sleeve or nozzle I3 is provided at the lower end with an annular recess having upper and lower walls 2I and 22 and an outer wall 23. The end portion II of the valve actuating arm II normally nts into the recess 20, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower wall portion 22 prevents any downward movement of the arm II, as long as the sleeve I3 is retained in the upwardly extended position by the latches II and I8. However when the sleeve I3 is released from the latches, the sleeve may then be pushed downwardly in the direction of the arrow A whereby the circular wall 2I contacts the handle end portion II' and thus turns the handle II in the direction of the arrow B. The valve plug 9 is thus caused to rotate in a direction to open the valve 6. By the time the valve 9 is fully open the end portion II' of the arm II is in contact with the inside of the sleeve I3, and when the sleeve is fully extended the ring I6 is in abutment with the upper end of the cap 3. As the re extinguisher goes into action the re extinguishing agent flows from the end I2 of the valve 6 and ows outward through the sleeve I3 onto the re.

In order to charge the cylinder I the sleeve I3 is retracted part way, so that a connection with the threaded end portion I2 may be completed. After the cylinder is full as indicated by its weight, or by the reduction in pressure at the charging cylinder, the sleeve I3 is fully retracted at the same time the arm end I I is manipulated into the annular recess 20. The preferred fire extinguishing agent is carbon dioxide although other agents, such as methyl bromide or chlorobromomethane may be used if desired. The agent should be capable of free ilow from the valve 6 under gaseous pressure as soon as the valve is opened, and should be capable of efficiently excluding air from the fire.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing there is shown a fire extinguisher like that of Fig. 1 except for two specic features. The upper rim of the sleeve I3' is provided with a symmetrical double cam formation having a central low point 3| normally occupied by a short pin 32 rigidly connected to the cylinder I. On either side of the low point 3l the cam has an inclined cam surface. In releasing the sleeve I3 from the latches 33 and 34, the sleeve I3 may be turned in either direction to force the sleeve away from the pin 32 and downwardly with respect to the spring latches 33 and 34. Thus the cam formation and the fixed pin cooperate to cause disengagement of the sleeve and the spring latches merely by rotation of the sleeve prior to sliding the sleeve outwardly for operation of the releasing valve. If desired the cam formation 3D and the relatively fixed pin 32 may be provided at diametrically opposite points of the nre extinguisher, to provide a more effective nozzle releasing action.

Another feature shown in Fig. 2 is the elimination of the annular recess 20 of the first described embodiment. In place of this construction the sleeve I3' of Fig. 2 is merely provided with a slot 35 extending part way around the sleeve near the lower end thereof. The valve operating arm 36 extends through the slot 35 when the sleeve I 3 is in the retracted position as shown. Furthermore the arm 36 has its free end rounded off at the lower side thereof, as at 35'. The threaded nipple I2 is provided for the discharge end of the valve, and as in Fig. 1 the iire extinguisher is adapted to be supported from a loop I9 when not in use. To use the re extinguisher one merely removes it from a hanger and grasps the def vice with one hand around the sleeve I3' and theother hand around the upper end of the cylinder I. The sleeve I3 is then rotated in either direction while the lower end of the sleeve is directed toward the fire. Then as the latches 33 and 34 release their grip on the upper end of the sleeve I3 the sleeve is then manually forced outwardly toward the re to the limit of its sliding movement. In rotating the sleeve I3 the arm 36 moves within the slot 35 but no opening movement of the valve occurs until the upper edge of the slot impinges on the upper side of the arm 3G. As the sleeve I3 is forced outwardly the arm 36 is automatically rotated to open the release valve and the rounded end portion 36 is free to move into the sleeve without jamming against the lower edge of the slot 35. While the cam formation 3i] provides means to facilitate easy release of the sleeve from the spring latches, it is optional whether the sleeve is released by initial rotation. A direct downward force will cause release of the latch devices from the sleeve just as in the form of the extinguisher shown in Fig. I. In both forms of the invention the principal advantages are the compactness and operating simplicity of the extinguisher. There is no projecting horn or nozzle to break or to take up space. The only operating instruction needed is to slide the outer sleeve in the direction of the nre while holding the cylinder securely at its upper end.

The embodiments of the invention herein shown and described are to be regarded as illustrative only and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of variations, modifications and changes within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A lre extinguisher comprising, a closed cylinder adapted to contain a fluid fire extinguishing agent under pressure, a valve at one end of said cylinder operable to release a stream of said ire extinguishing agent, valve actuating means movably mounted on said valve, a tubular nozzle closely surrounding said cylinder and slidable longitudinally thereof for extension beyond said one end of the cylinder, and means on said nozzle engageable with said valve actuating means to operate said valve upon sliding movement of said nozzle to the extended position.

2. A nre extinguisher as recited in claim 1, including latch means to releasably retain said tubular nozzle in the non-extended position.

3. A nre extinguisher as recited in claim' 1, including a spring latch movably mounted on said cylinder for engagement with a projecting portion of said tubular nozzle to releasably retain said nozzle in the non-extended position, and cam means on said tubular nozzle for engagement with a fixed element on said cylinder to move said nozzle toward the extended position upon rotation of said nozzle with respect to said cylinder, to

s thereby effect release of said spring latch from said projecting portion of said nozzle.

4. A re extinguisher comprising, a closed cylinder adapted to contain a uid fire extinguishin-g agent under pressure, a valve at one end of said cylinder on the central axis thereof and operable to release a stream of re extinguishing agent, a valve operating arm movably mounted on said valve and extending away from the central axis of said cylinder in the closed position of said valve, a tubular nozzle closely surrounding said cylinder and slidable longitudinally thereof for extension beyond said one end of the cylinder, and an annular recess internally of said tubular nozzle beyond said one end of the cylinder to receive the outer end of said valve operating arm, whereby a sliding movement of said nozzle to the extended position effects operation of said Valve to release said stream of re extinguishing agent for ow from said valve and outwardly through said tubular nozzle.

5. A re extinguisher comprising, a closed cylinder adapted to contain a iluid re extinguishing agent under pressure, a valve at one end of said cylinder operable to release a stream of said re extinguishing agent for flow from said cylinder, valve actuating means movably mounted on said valve, a tubular nozzle slidable longitudinally of said cylinder for extension beyond said one end of the cylinder, means on said nozzle engageable with said valve actuating means to operate said valve, and said nozzle providing means to direct said re extinguishing agent onto a re upon operation of said valve to open position by sliding m'ovement of said nozzle to the extended position.

6. A re extinguisher comprising, a closed cylinder adapted to contain a uid lire extinguishawaqze ing agent under pressure, valve means rigidly mounted on said cylinder and including valve actuating means operable to release a stream of said re extinguishing agent from said cylinder at one end thereof, a tubular nozzle closely surrounding said cylinder and slidable longitudinally thereof for extension beyond said one end of the cylinder, whereby said stream of nre extinguishing agent may be directed onto a re by passage outwardly through said nozzle in the extended position thereof after said valve actuating means has been operated to open said valve.

7. A re extinguisher comprising, a closed cylinder adapted to contain a fluid iire extinguishing agent under pressure, valve means rigidly mounted on said cylinder and including nozzle relative to said cylinder, whereby said .stream of re extinguishing agent is released vfor flow from said valve means and outwardly through said tubular nozzle.

8. A re extinguisher comprising, a closed cylinder adapted to contain a fluid fire extinguishing agent under pressure, a valve at one end of said cylinder substantially on the central axis thereof and operable to release a stream of said re extinguishing agent, a valve operating arm movably mounted on said valve and extending away from the central axis of said cylinder in the closed position of said valve, a tubular nozzle closely surrounding said cylinder and slidable longitudinally thereof for extension beyond said one end of the cylinder, means on said tubular nozzle beyond said one end of the cylinder engageable with said valve operating arm, whereby a sliding movement of said nozzle to the extended position effects operation of said Valve to release said stream of re extinguishing agent for ow from said valve and outwardly through said tubular nozzle.

CHARLES L. BURGOYNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PAI'ENTS Number Name Date 833,176 Raymond Oct. 16, 1906 1,378,674 Hamilton May 17, 1921 2,021,493 Trueblood Nov. 19, 1935 

